तस्मिंश्च समये तत्र शङ्करः प्रमदायुतः । क्रीडासक्तो महादेवो विवस्त्रा कामिनी शिवा
At that very time, there was Śaṅkara, surrounded by women, the great god absorbed in play, and Śivā, his beloved, unclothed and desirous.
उत्सङ्गे संस्थिता भर्तू रममाणा मनोरमा । तान्विलोक्याम्बिका देवी विवस्त्रा व्रीडिता भृशम्
The lovely goddess, delighting in her husband's lap, saw the sages and, being unclothed, was greatly ashamed.
भर्तुरङ्कात्समुत्थाय वस्त्रमादाय पर्यधात् । लज्जाविष्टा स्थिता तत्र वेपमानातिमानिनी
Rising from her husband's lap, she took a garment and covered herself, standing there filled with modesty, trembling, and proud.
ऋषयोऽपि तयोर्वीक्ष्य प्रसङ्गं रममाणयोः । परिवृत्य ययुस्तूर्णं नरनारायणाश्रमम्
The sages, seeing the intimacy of the two as they delighted together, quickly turned away and went to the hermitage of Nara-Nārāyaṇa.
ह्रीयुतां कामिनीं वीक्ष्य प्रोवाच भगवान्हरः । कथं लज्जातुरासि त्वं सुखं ते प्रकरोम्यहम्
Seeing the bashful and desirous goddess, the blessed Hara spoke: 'Why are you overcome by shame? I will make you happy.'
अद्यप्रभृति यो मोहात्पुमान्कोऽपि वरानने । वनं च प्रविशेदेतत्स वै योषिद्भविष्यति
From this day onward, O beautiful-faced one, any man who, out of delusion, enters this forest shall become a woman.
इति शप्तं वनं तेन ये जानन्ति जनाः क्वचित् । वर्जयन्तीह ते कामं वनं दोषसमृद्धिमत्
Thus, because of that curse, those who know of it avoid this forest, which is full of faults, as they wish.
सुद्युम्नस्तु तदज्ञानात्प्रविष्टः सचिवैः सह । तथैव स्त्रीत्वमापन्नस्तैः सहेति न संशयः
But Sudyumna, unaware, entered with his ministers, and just so, he became a woman along with them—there is no doubt.
चिन्ताविष्टः स राजर्षिर्न जगाम गृहं ह्रिया । विचचार बहिस्तस्माद्वनदेशादितस्ततः
That royal sage, filled with anxiety, did not return home out of shame, but wandered outside, here and there in the forest region.
इलेति नाम सम्प्राप्तं स्त्रीत्वे तेन महात्मना । विचरंस्तत्र सम्प्राप्तो बुधः सोमसुतो युवा
In that state of womanhood, the great-souled one became known as Ilā. As she wandered there, Budha, the youthful son of Soma, arrived.
स्त्रीभिः परिवृतां तां तु दृष्ट्वा कान्तां मनोरमाम् । हावभावकलायुक्तां चकमे भगवाम्बुधः
Seeing her, surrounded by women, lovely and charming, endowed with the arts of gesture and expression, the blessed Budha desired her.
सापि तं चकमे कान्तं बुधं सोमसुतं पतिम् । संयोगस्तत्र सञ्जातस्तयोः प्रेम्णा परस्परम्
She too desired Budha, the son of Soma, as her husband. There, a union was formed between the two, out of mutual love.
स तस्यां जनयामास पुरूरवसमात्मजम् । इलायां सोमपुत्रस्तु चक्रवर्तिनमुत्तमम्
From her, Budha, the son of Soma, begot a son named Purūravas, the foremost of emperors, upon Ilā.
सा प्रासूत सुतं बाला चिन्ताविष्टा वने स्थिता । सस्मार स्वकुलाचार्यं वसिष्ठं मुनिसत्तमम्
While staying in the forest, troubled in mind, she gave birth to a son. She remembered her family preceptor, the eminent sage Vasiṣṭha.
स तदास्य दशां दृष्ट्वा सुद्युम्नस्य कृपान्वितः । अतोषयन्महादेवं शङ्करं लोकशङ्करम्
Seeing Sudyumna's condition, filled with compassion, he sought to please Mahadeva Shankara, the benefactor of the world.
तस्मै स भगवांस्तुष्टः प्रददौ वाञ्छितं वरम् । वसिष्ठः प्रार्थयामास पुंस्त्वं राज्ञः प्रियस्य च
The blessed Lord, satisfied, granted him the desired boon; Vasiṣṭha requested that the beloved king regain his manhood.
शङ्करस्तु निजां वाचमृतां कुर्वन्नुवाच ह । मासं पुमांस्तु भविता मासं स्त्री भूपतिः किल
Shankara, speaking his own nectar-like words, declared: 'For one month the king shall be a man, for one month a woman.'
इत्थं प्राप्य वरं राजा जगाम स्वगृहं पुनः । चक्रे राज्यं स धर्मात्मा वसिष्ठस्याप्यनुग्रहात्
Thus, having received the boon, the king returned to his home and, with Vasiṣṭha's favor, ruled his kingdom righteously.
स्त्रीत्वे तिष्ठति हर्म्येषु पुंस्त्वे राज्यं प्रशास्ति च । प्रजास्तस्मिन्समुद्विग्ना नाभ्यनन्दन्महीपतिम्
When in the form of a woman, he stayed in the palace; as a man, he governed the realm. The people, troubled by this, did not rejoice in their king.
काले तु यौवनं प्राप्तः पुत्रः पुरूरवास्तदा । प्रतिष्ठां नृपतिस्तस्मै दत्त्वा राज्यं वनं ययौ
In time, when his son Pururavas reached youth, the king gave him the throne and departed for the forest.
गत्वा तस्मिन्वने रम्ये नानाद्रुमसमाकुले । नारदान्मन्त्रमासाद्य नवाक्षरमनुत्तमम्
Arriving in that delightful forest, thick with various trees, he obtained from Narada the supreme nine-lettered mantra.
जजाप मन्त्रमत्यर्थं प्रेमपूरितमानसः । परितुष्टा तदा देवी सगुणा तारिणी शिवा
He recited the mantra intensely, his heart filled with love; then the Goddess, endowed with qualities, the savior, the auspicious one, was pleased.
सिंहारूढा स्थिता चाग्रे दिव्यरूपा मनोरमा । वारुणीपानसम्मत्ता मदाघूर्णितलोचना
She appeared before him, seated on a lion, radiant and beautiful, intoxicated by Varuni's drink, her eyes swirling with delight.
दृष्ट्वा तां दिव्यरूपां च प्रेमाकुलितलोचनः । प्रणम्य शिरसा प्रीत्या तुष्टाव जगदम्बिकाम्
Seeing her divine form, his eyes overwhelmed with love, he bowed his head and joyfully praised the Mother of the world.
इलोवाच दिव्यं च ते भगवति प्रथितं स्वरूपं दृष्टं मया सकललोकहितानुरूपम् । वन्दे त्वदंघ्रिकमलं सुरसङ्घसेव्यं कामप्रदं जननि चापि विमुक्तिदं च
Ila said: 'O Goddess, I have seen your renowned divine form, fitting for the welfare of all worlds. I bow to your lotus feet, served by the hosts of gods, giver of desires, Mother, and bestower of liberation.'
को वेत्ति तेऽम्ब भुवि मर्त्यतनुर्निकामं मुह्यन्ति यत्र मुनयश्च सुराश्च सर्वे । ऐश्वर्यमेतदखिलं कृपणे दयां च दृष्ट्वैव देवि सकलं किल विस्मयो मे
'Who knows you, Mother, in this world, when you take a mortal form? Even sages and all the gods are bewildered by you. Seeing your entire sovereignty and compassion for the humble, O Goddess, I am filled with wonder.'
शम्भुर्हरिः कमलजो मघवा रविश्च वित्तेशवह्निवरुणाः पवनश्च सोमः । जानन्ति नैव वसवोऽपि हि ते प्रभावं बुध्येत्कथं तव गुणानगुणो मनुष्यः
'Shambhu, Hari, the lotus-born, Maghavan, the Sun, the Lord of wealth, Fire, Varuna, Wind, and Soma—even the Vasus do not know your power. How could a human, lacking qualities, comprehend your virtues?'
जानाति विष्णुरमितद्युतिरम्ब साक्षा- त्त्वां सात्त्विकीमुदधिजां सकलार्थदां च । को राजसीं हर उमां किल तामसीं त्वां वेदाम्बिके न तु पुनः खलु निर्गुणां त्वाम्
'Vishnu, of immeasurable brilliance, knows you directly as the sattvic, ocean-born, giver of all things. Who knows you as the rajasic Uma, or the tamasic form, O Mother of the Vedas? But surely, none know you as the attribute-less.'
क्वाहं सुमन्दमतिरप्रतिमप्रभावः क्वायं तवातिनिपुणो मयि सुप्रसादः । जाने भवानि चरितं करुणासमेतं यत्सेवकांश्च दयसे त्वयि भावयुक्तान्
'Where am I, dull-minded and of little power, and where is your supreme skill, O Mother, who is so gracious to me? I know, O Bhavani, your deeds are filled with compassion, for you show mercy to those who serve you with devotion.'
वृत्तस्त्वया हरिरसौ वनजेशयापि नैवाचरत्यपि मुदं मधुसूदनश्च । पादौ तवादिपुरुषः किल पावकेन कृत्वा करोति च करेण शुभौ पवित्रौ
'You are served by Hari and the lotus-born, yet even Madhusudana does not find joy. The primordial person purifies your feet with fire and makes them auspicious and holy with his hand.'